An Open Letter to Governor-elect Snyder

Dear Governor-elect Snyder,

Congratulations on your election night victory!  I look forward to working with you.

I know that you have many priorities.  It appears that education is one of them.  I appreciate that, for, you see, I am the Superintendent of the Grand Ledge Public Schools.  Education is one of my priorities as well.

In your ten-point plan, point number eight states that we need to reform Michigan’s educational system.  Sometimes words like that from a politician rankle people like me who spend their lives trying to ensure that every student receives a quality education.  But I will take you at your word when you say, “schools, teachers, and parents must renew their commitment to ensuring that each child is given the best possible preparation and education for life.”

I agree with you! We have three district goals. The first one states that every child should make at least a year’s growth in a year’s time.  If we can do that then every child who graduates from our high school will be ready for that next step in his or her life.

Our second goal calls for teachers and administrators to collaborate to find, use, and monitor effective instructional strategies.  When we use effective instructional strategies, our students will learn, which will increase the likelihood that each child will make at least a year’s growth in a year’s time.

Our third goal calls for every person in the district to work together to create a high performing organization.  Teachers, bus drivers, secretaries, food service workers, custodians, teacher aides, administrators, and Superintendents need to focus of creating an organization that helps every student learn.   

I believe you when you say that you want every student in Michigan to receive a high quality education.  But then in your Policy Central, where you give more detail on your policies, you cherry-pick data to paint a picture that every school district in Michigan is sub par.

For example, you show the ACT scores for four states.  You compare Michigan to Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ohio.  You show that our ACT scores are lower than those four states.  But you do not note that Michigan tests 100% of its high school graduates, while Minnesota only tests 70%, Wisconsin only tests 69%, and Ohio only tests 66%.

When compared to those four states Michigan’s composite ACT score for graduating seniors is lower – anywhere from one to three points lower.  Yet you could have compared us to Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Wyoming.  These four states test 100% of their graduating seniors.  When compared to those five states Michigan’s composite ACT score is higher than two and lower than three.  But there is only a one-point range either way.

You also note that Michigan’s average salary for instructional staff ranks 4th in the United States.  While that is true when you look at all the districts in Michigan, it is not true when you look at specific districts.  For example, the average teacher salary in the Grand Ledge Public Schools is right at the national average. To suggest that every teacher in Michigan is overpaid is not appropriate or helpful.

You state that we should reduce overhead costs and become more efficient.  Yet every employee in our district who has health insurance pays between 18% and 31% of the premium.  In our district, which covers 125 square miles we spend almost two million dollars a year on school transportation.  Other districts in our area that are significantly smaller have no transportation costs.  Sweeping statements about efficiencies, when I believe that we have done a lot to control costs, does not create a spirit of cooperation and collaboration.

You are my Governor-elect.  I want you to be successful.  I believe you when you say that you want Michigan’s schools to be successful.  I would like to invite you to my school district to discuss what we can do together to create a Michigan school system that educates every student well.

Sincerely,

Steve Matthews, Ed.D.